Badou Jack believes Noel Mikaelian doesn't belong in the same ring as him for a second time, and promises to make matters much clearer when they meet in a rematch on Saturday.

The WBC cruiserweight champion Jack (29-3-3, 17 KOs) and Mikaelian (27-3, 12 KOs) met in May, and Jack did just enough in the eyes of the judges to muster a majority decision win after a closely-contested clash.

Mikaelian, who was then the WBC's Champion in Recess, took the fight on three weeks' notice after Jack's original opponent, Ryan Rozicki, withdrew through an injury.

Mikaelian went on to outland Jack 153-to-122 while throwing 301 more punches, but judges scored the contest 114-114, 115-113, 115-113 in favor of Jack.

Mikaelian filed an appeal with the WBC and a rematch became official once a $301,018 purse bid was secured. And now, after a circuitous journey, the sequel is set this weekend at the Ace Mission Studios in Los Angeles. The bout will headline Bash Boxing and 555 Media's "Championing Mental Health 2" show on PPV.com ($29.95).

"I don't think he's deserving of the rematch," Jack told The Ring. "It was a semi-close fight, but I think I clearly won. I thought it was clear the first time, but it looks like it wasn't clear enough. It felt like a sparring session. To me, it's crazy but no problem, I will show them.

"There are levels to this, and I am levels above this guy. I will prove it on fight night. Business wise, this fight doesn't make sense. But for myself, I want to stop and beat him clearly this time."

Mikaelian, 35, from Armenia, and Jack, 42, a Gambian-Swede, have both been on the wrong side of razor-thin decisions throughout their careers, and the fight will mark the first rematch both have competed in.

Jack said he would've been sharper had he not been fighting for the first time in 25 months. Coincidentally, Jack and Mikaelian were both coming off stoppage wins against Ilunga Junior Makabu when meeting on the Canelo-Scull undercard on May 3.

The WBC title was on the line in both their bouts against Makabu. Jack beat Makabu, who was the champion at the time, by 12th round TKO in February 2023.

By November 2023, Jack had vacated the title, and Mikaelian stopped Makabu in three rounds to win the vacant belt. But a snakebitten 2024 campaign for Mikaelian was highlighted by an injury and dispute with promoter Don King. It led to canceled fights and prompted the WBC to make the inactive Jack the champion without ever throwing a punch.

"I had a lot of close fights that I really won with Adonis Stevenson (Majority Draw; 2018), James DeGale (Majority Draw; 2017), and Jean Pascal (SD Loss; 2019). They were real robberies, but I never got a rematch," said Jack.

"I didn't feel any of Mikaelian’s power. He's not elite, he's an OK fighter, not bad. I have to be on my A-game, have fought a lot of champions before, this is nothing new to me. I'm going to dominate and show there are levels to this, maybe he'll quit this time."

The Jack-Mikaelian II winner will be in prime position for a cruiserweight title unification bout in 2026 against The Ring and IBF champ Jai Opetaia and the winner of the proposed May 2 matchup between WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez and David Benavidez.

"I want the big fights, the unification fights, but learned in my career to never overlook anyone," Jack continued. "Sometimes the hunger is not there when you are not fighting the top guys, but it is what it is. It's still a world championship fight, you have to be prepared."